Panel educates residents about coyotes

By: Alexandra DeLuca - For the North County Times | Tuesday, October 25, 2005 6:14 AM PDT ∞

OCEANSIDE ---- Local residents learned more about coyotes ---- and how to coexist with them ---- at a forum Monday night at the Oceanside Public Library.

About three dozen people attended the "Coyotes as Neighbors" panel, which was presented by the North County Humane Society & SPCA. Humane Education Coordinator Ann Morrissey moderated the panel of four speakers, each of whom addressed a specific aspect of the issue.

"As you know, the incidents of coyote-human encounters are increasing," Morrissey told the audience, explaining that that increase is due to humans encroaching further on coyotes' natural habitat.

The goal of the forum, she said, was to teach residents how to peacefully coexist with this native species.

Conservation ecologist and San Diego State University graduate student Dana Morin shared some basic facts about coyotes and explained their role in the ecosystem. She also stressed the importance of learning to live with coyotes, as they are highly adaptable animals.

"Removing them is not an effective way of trying to control the (coyote) population," said Morin. "It just doesn't work."

Ro Rozinka, Senior Volunteer with the California Department of Fish and Game, explained that when a person calls to report a coyote encounter, the Department's response depends on the severity of the incident.

"A warden can't come out just because you think you saw a coyote," said Rozinka, who said the San Diego office of the California Department of Fish and Game gets an average of about 6 calls per day about coyotes.

If a coyote is reported on a homeowner's property, two senior volunteers will be dispatched to take pictures and look for evidence such as coyote droppings or tracks, Rozinka said. 

If a coyote makes contact with a human, a warden will issue a wildlife incident report, and a professional hunter will be contracted to kill the animal.

Rozinka explained that trapping and relocating the coyotes is not effective or feasible, as coyotes are very territorial and will probably return to the area they were removed from, and the cost, time and effort involved are prohibitive.

"We have to keep them wild by not feeding them, providing water for them or providing shelter for them," Rozinka explained.

Jennifer Scanlon, Humane Officer and Animal Control Field Supervisor with the North County Humane Society & SPCA, spoke about her experiences with coyotes in Oceanside and Vista.

Nikki Weaver, Wildlife Coordinator with the North County Humane Society & SPCA, emphasized the importance of taking simple precautions.

"There are ways of very humanely deterring wildlife," said Weaver. "You can't leave food out. And if you leave small pets out, consider them fair game."

For added protection, Weaver also suggested that home owners install a product called the Scarecrow, which is a motion-activated sprinkler, or a coyote roller, which prevents coyotes from jumping over a fence. 

Weaver also reminded the audience that the actions of just one person can cause a coyote problem for an entire neighborhood.

"Some people just do what they want to do," said Weaver. "All it takes is one person doing what they want to do, and coyotes lose their fear of the public. I really don't think that it's the coyotes' fault."

Following the panelists' presentations, Morrissey suggested other methods of deterring coyotes, such as motion detector lights, air horns and whistles.  She also suggested sprinkling garbage with ammonia or mothballs, and securing trash can lids and the trash cans themselves with bungee cords so they can't be tipped over.

While most people in attendance seemed to be receptive to the idea of coexisting with coyotes, some were not.

"I have a $300,000 house, and it's my backyard," said one woman who said she lived in Oceana in Oceanside. "If I want to have a fruit tree and a bowl of dog food (outside), I should be able to."

The panelists said they sympathized with the woman, but that coyotes are a reality of life in North County.

"It's the price we pay for where we live," said Weaver.

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